This USA born citizen and bred Dominican personifies the kind of beauty that shocks the long promoted standard images of Europeans. Who declared ‘Black is Beautiful’? Amara has grey eyes, and eye glass figure, a big round buttock, a thin nose, small lips, gorgeous dark skin and a huge afro. This combination of elements makes her Afro-Latina. She is popular in the Latina countries. They appreciate the range and variety of shapes, sizes and shades as ‘La Negra’ puts it. While Miami is considered the capital of South America, breaking into the rest of the USA is quite another feat. Amara speaks Spanish with an accent as if she were reared in Dominica and speaks perfect English as well. These combinations of physical attributes, talent as a singer/dancer performer, and fluent in Spanish has made her somewhat of a sensation.

Her breakthrough moment came with the VH+1 Hip Hop reality TV Series, this time in Miami. When she describes the show’ approach, it is being put into certain situations and reacting yet being aware of ones surroundings and career goals.  Her first show defined Amara La Negra’s potential legacy. Upon meeting a producer that help developing artist break into the American Market, she was challenged with changing her image. The comparison reflected one image is so much better than another for example he said ‘be less Macy Gray (natural hair) and more Beyonce’. The producer inquired whether her huge afro was a statement of being black as a noted ‘black power symbol’ (arm raised)? Before this ‘reality tv’ meeting Amara was not a spokesperson for colorism although she had experienced differences most of her life starting as a child performer. Her mother worked many jobs to ensure her vivacious and outgoing daughter had platforms to showcase her talents. Amara is committed to her mother’s happiness and thankful for her sacrifice. Her mother is also her advisor. La Negra walked away from that very established producer into several multimillion dollar contracts including a major record company and international manager.

Amara La Negra answer questions about her cause and has vocally challenged the Latina community to face up to their quiet acceptance of colorism within the culture. You can find her online doing interviews on radio talk shows, Hip Hop Miami, and articles about her interaction with the producer, who by the way, off set made fun of Amara’s hair style thus triggering her crusade. Despite the Latina producer being uncomfortable with her look. La Negra has made her hair even bigger with extensions, and declares this look is her most comfortable. Amara declares that her look is the ‘attention getter’ to raise the level of discussion for Latina to address discrimination due to ‘colorism’ within their cultures. Amara La Negra points out that all the South American countries and islands with people of Latina origin have people who look like her. She wants to represent a positive image for young girls. There were very few black Latina role models when she was growing up thereby looked to African Americans such as Whitney Houston and Donna Summers. Amara is flashy, spirited, sexy and talented with shade constantly being thrown at her. An example would be other Latina who do ‘black face’ mocking so-called European features and dark skin. While she builds her breakthrough career in the rest of States, she is the woman to be admired and respected. Amara La Negra will bring up all the stuff that we ‘outside of Miami’ deal with, such as my race vs your race ‘I’m ok, you’re not;  woman vs man sexism and power roles; and what is acceptable beauty in our marketplace. Don’t doubt she will challenges her Latina sisters and brothers to open up on colorism. Yes that includes ‘civil rights’ African Americans and their offsprings.

Art and Article by Lillian L. Thompson, founder of Lillianonline.us.